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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hide · can · lie · fan · ground · ball · rush · plane

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. lie — to recline
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. rush — hurry
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ground — the earth
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ground — crushed
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. can — a tin
  23. plane — a tool
  24. ground — a position

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com